Bulbous Putter Grip Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A bulbous putter grip apparatus for allowing for a more relaxed putting grip to improve feel includes a body having a body top end, a body bottom end, and a body sidewall. The body top end has a shaft aperture extending through the body bottom end. The shaft aperture receives a shaft of a putter. The body sidewall has an upper bulbous portion proximal the body top end and a lower portion extending from the upper bulbous portion to the body bottom end. The upper bulbous portion fits within a user&#39;s palm. An outer grip is coupled to the body. The outer grip is coupled to the body sidewall and extends from adjacent the body bottom end to adjacent the body top end.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to putter grip devices and more particularly pertains to a new putter grip device for allowing for a more relaxed putting grip to improve feel. The present device includes an upper bulbous portion to fit within the palm of the user's top hand and a tapered lower portion for the lower hand.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to putter grip devices. Known devices include ergonomic golf grips, typically of uniform thickness or a consistent taper. Existing devices lack a distinct upper bulbous portion just for the top hand and thus do not provide similar ability for a relaxed upper hand and improved feel.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a body having a body top end, a body bottom end, and a body sidewall. The body top end has a shaft aperture extending through the body bottom end. The shaft aperture is configured to receive a shaft of a putter. The body sidewall has an upper bulbous portion proximal the body top end and a lower portion extending from the upper bulbous portion to the body bottom end. The upper bulbous portion is configured to fit within a user's palm. An outer grip is coupled to the body. The outer grip is coupled to the body sidewall and extends from adjacent the body bottom end to adjacent the body top end.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a bulbous putter grip apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new putter grip device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the bulbous putter grip apparatus 10 generally comprises a body 12 having a body top end 14, a body bottom end 16 and a body sidewall 18. The body top end 14 has a shaft aperture 20 extending through the body bottom end 16. The shaft aperture 20 is configured to receive a shaft 22 of a putter 24.

The body sidewall 18 has an upper bulbous portion 26 proximal the body top end 14 and a lower portion 28 extending from the upper bulbous portion 26 to the body bottom end 16. A bulb width 30 of the upper bulbous portion may be less than a bulb height 32 of the upper bulbous portion. The upper bulbous portion 26 is configured to fit within a user's palm. The lower portion 28 of the body may taper thinner from the upper bulbous portion 26 to the body bottom end 16. The bulb height 32 of the upper bulbous portion may be less than an overall grip height 34 of the body sidewall 18.

An outer grip 36 is coupled to the body 12. The outer grip 36 is coupled to the body sidewall 18 and extends from adjacent the body bottom end 16 to adjacent the body top end 14. The outer grip 36 may be a wrapped tape 38 or may alternatively be a single continuous layer. The outer grip 36 may be elastically deformable within the user's hands. The outer grip 36 may have a plurality of perforations 40 or other grooves and raised sections in order to prevent slippage.

A top cap 42 is coupled to the body 12. The top cap 42 has a cap portion 44 selectively engaging the body top end 14 and a plug portion 46 configured to selectively engage the shaft 22 of the putter. The top cap 42 may help secure the outer grip 36 in place. A bottom ring 48 is coupled to the body 12. The bottom ring 48 is coupled to the body bottom end 16. The bottom ring 48 may have a diameter equal to the diameter of the body 12 and outer grip 36 together.

In use, the user secures the upper bulbous portion 26 in his or her top hand and the lower portion 28 with the bottom hand. The upper bulbous portion 26 can be secured more naturally and loosely than a traditional grip for improved feel and less twitching.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

1. A bulbous putter grip apparatus comprising: a body having a body top end, a body bottom end, and a body sidewall, the body top end having a shaft aperture extending through the body bottom end, the shaft aperture being configured to receive a shaft of a putter, the body sidewall having a single upper bulbous portion proximal the body top end and a lower portion extending from the upper bulbous portion to the body bottom end, a transition from the upper bulbous portion to the lower portion being defined where smooth tapering at a constant rate extending downwardly on said body begins wherein an entirety of the upper bulbous portion is configured to fit within a user's palm; and an outer grip coupled to the body, the outer grip being coupled to the body sidewall and extending from adjacent the body bottom end to adjacent the body top end.
 2. The bulbous putter grip apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a bottom ring coupled to the body, the bottom ring being coupled to the body bottom end.
 3. The bulbous putter grip apparatus of claim 2 further comprising the bottom ring having a diameter equal to the diameter of the body and outer grip together.
 4. The bulbous putter grip apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a top cap coupled to the body, the top cap having a cap portion selectively engaging the body top end and a plug portion configured to selectively engage the shaft of the putter.
 5. The bulbous putter grip apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the outer grip being a wrapped tape.
 6. The bulbous putter grip apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the outer grip having a plurality of perforations.
 7. The bulbous putter grip apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the outer grip being a single continuous layer.
 8. The bulbous putter grip apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the lower portion of the body tapering thinner from the upper bulbous portion to the body bottom end.
 9. The bulbous putter grip apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a bulb width of the upper bulbous portion being less than a bulb height of the upper bulbous portion.
 10. A bulbous putter grip apparatus comprising: a body having a body top end, a body bottom end, and a body sidewall, the body, top end having a shaft aperture extending through the body bottom end, the shaft aperture being configured to receive a shaft of a putter, the body sidewall having a single upper bulbous portion proximal the body top end and a lower portion extending from the upper bulbous portion to the body bottom end, a transition from the upper bulbous portion to the lower portion being defined where smooth tapering at a constant rate extending downwardly on said body begins wherein an entirety of the upper bulbous portion is configured to fit within a user's palm, a bulb width of the upper bulbous portion being less than a bulb height of the upper bulbous portion, the lower portion of the body tapering thinner from the upper bulbous portion to the body bottom end; an outer grip coupled to the body, the outer grip being coupled to the body sidewall and extending from adjacent the body bottom end to adjacent the body top end, the outer grip being a wrapped tape, the outer grip having a plurality of perforations; a top cap coupled to the body, the top cap having a cap portion selectively engaging the body top end and a plug portion configured to selectively engage the shaft of the putter; and a bottom ring coupled to the body, the bottom ring being coupled to the body bottom end, the bottom ring having a diameter equal to the diameter of the body and outer grip together.
 11. A combination putter and bulbous putter grip apparatus comprising: a putter, the putter having a shaft and a head coupled to the shaft; a body having a body top end, a body bottom end, and a body sidewall, the body top end having a shaft aperture extending through the body bottom end, the shaft aperture receiving the shaft of the putter, the body sidewall having a single, upper bulbous portion proximal the body top end and a lower portion extending from the upper bulbous portion to the body bottom end, a transition from the upper bulbous portion to the lower portion being defined where smooth tapering at a constant rate extending downwardly on said body begins wherein an entirety of the upper bulbous portion is configured to fit within a user's palm, a bulb width of the upper bulbous portion being less than a bulb height of the upper bulbous portion, the lower portion of the body tapering thinner from the upper bulbous portion to the body bottom end; an outer grip coupled to the body, the outer grip being coupled to the body sidewall and extending from adjacent the body bottom end to adjacent the body top end, the outer grip being a wrapped tape, the outer grip having a plurality of perforations; a top cap coupled to the body, the top cap having a cap portion selectively engaging the body top end and a plug portion selectively engaging the shah of the putter; and a bottom ring coupled to the body, the bottom ring being coupled to the body bottom end, the bottom ring having a diameter equal to the diameter of the body and outer grip together. 